Begin Again
by ridiculouslyoptimistic
Summary: Laura always thought it was rather tragic that nothing ever happened between her and Ross while they were filming. Years later, she thinks that maybe all they need is a fresh start. Raura.
1. Begin Again

She takes a deep breath, chewing on her bottom lip nervously as she tugs once more on the hem of dress. It had been so long since she wore a dress with heels that she'd forgotten how much she liked her legs. Dresses were her favorite article of clothing to wear and although she loved all kinds of shoes, she's often thankful for her short height as it provides her with an excuse to wear heels whenever she desires.

But he didn't like when she wore them because they made him feel small, despite the fact that she was still a good few inches shorter than him with them on. So she played the good girlfriend and wore flats whenever they were together. That should have been the first indication that something about their relationship was off.

With one last nod, she combs her fingers through the bottom of her hair, loosening her dark curls before shrugging on her jacket, collecting her iPod and walking out the door. She'd decided to let her hair grow out to its natural color after her last relationship ended. It was time for a change. It was time for her to rediscover herself.

Up until eight months ago, she'd been dating Daniel Johnson, the pop singer who was the star of her record label. At first it all seemed so surreal, so magical. She couldn't believe she was dating so famous. But soon, her private life was splashed on gossip sites and being reported on news channels and being speculated upon on talk shows.

It was utter madness and she wanted out. She wanted a quiet life with him; one where they weren't constantly hassled by paparazzi. At least that's what she thought until the day she discovered that he tipped off the paparazzi to their whereabouts and she realized he would never love her as much as he loved being in the spotlight.

Shaking those lingering thoughts of him from her mind as she walks down the street, she puts in her headphones and immediately smiles when her favorite song began to play. It was slow and moving and melodic; the perfect song to play when she was in one of those moods to drink wine and mull over the important things in life.

This always annoyed Daniel. He wasn't much of a deep thinker and when he came home to find her daydreaming on the couch, he would always roll his eyes and walk away. He didn't understand this song. But she did.

She smiles at strangers as they passed, her wide eyed gaze taking in the buzzing activity of the city. She'd always loved New York. It was exciting and exhilarating and constantly kept her at the edge of her seat; a few of the reasons she had moved here to focus on her music career.

After the show ended and the cast went their separate ways to pursue their own careers. Of course, they had all kept in touch over the years, but they had lost that sense of family that had guided them through the years they worked together. Still, they made a point to call each other up when they knew they were close by.

Which is why she had enthusiastically agreed when she had received a call from Ross a few days earlier, saying that his band was playing a few gigs in town and they should meet up for coffee. Her initial reaction had been one of excitement, but as the day approached, that joy slowly turned into fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

She couldn't explain why she was nervous. Rationally, she knew she had no reason to be: he was one of her best friends. Just friends; that's all they had ever been. Lord knows the media and the fans tried to force them together often enough. She supposed they found it hard to believe that a man and a woman could maintain a strictly platonic relationship.

No matter how many times they denied it, laughed off the comments and proclaimed that they were just good friends, it seemed people always assumed there was something more going on. So much so, that it got to the point that she wondered if they ever could be.

She would be lying if she said she didn't feel anything, if she said her emotions towards him were purely those of sisterly affection. The truth was, that fluttering had been there from the very beginning.

It was hard _not _to fall. He was sweet and caring and extremely passionate. His natural charisma and confidence made her feel as though she was entirely special and she found she couldn't pull herself away.

But she worried that her feelings stemmed from the media, from those fans who insisted that she and Ross shared some sort of special connection. She worried that the fluttering only existed because other people told her so.

So when the show ended and they went their separate ways, she breathed a sigh of relief. And to this day she is thankful for that time apart because it allowed them to find who they were in the world without each other. He, of course, had been linked with every female with which he was photographed and she'd had her own set of relationship issues. In the end, all she'd learned was that she didn't know nearly as much about relationships as she thought.

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she fiddled nervously with the strap of her purse and slowed her pace as she approached the café at which they had promised to meet. She assumed she was early (Daniel was always late to everything), so searched for a place to wait, but her breath caught in her throat at the sight of a familiar figure leaning against the wall by the door.

He looks just as she remembered. Perhaps he was slightly taller and had filled out his long, lean frame, but he still maintains that air of sweet charm which she so admires. His head is lowered as she approaches, his hot pink sunglasses slipping down his nose as he stares intently at his phone.

She pokes her tongue between her lips nervously, coming to a stop in front of him, unsure of how to draw his attention. Inhaling deeply, she reaches out a hand and taps him lightly on the shoulder, well more the arm because their height difference makes it difficult for her to reach his shoulder easily.

She isn't quite sure what to expect, but when he looks up and realizes it's her, he smiles a smile so stunning she feels her heart stop. Before she can say a word, he wraps his arms around her shoulders and pulls her into a tight embrace, swaying her lightly. She melts effortlessly into his arms, wondering why they have to feel so amazing.

He smiles lightly when he pulls away and she feels strangely cold when he drops his arms shoves his hands in his pockets.

"It's so good to see you," he exclaims, that brilliant smile still lighting his face.

Although she knows it's a customary greeting in these situations, she can tell he means it so returns his smile.

"It is," she agrees, "It's been much too long."

He nods, pulling open the café door and gesturing for her to enter. She smiles in gratitude and asks the hostess for a table for two, thanking her politely when they are seated at a small table by the window.

They each receive a cup of coffee and a slice of cake and take long, savoring sips before staring at each other intently.

He breaks the silence first, laughing lightly as he taps his fingers against the side of his cup. "Why is this weird?"

Although the question should offend her, she lets out a sigh of relief because he's spoken her thoughts.

She crinkles her nose and smiles. "This is a little awkward, right? I don't get it, we used to be able to talk to each other about anything."

He pauses for a moment, chewing on his bottom lip, his gaze making her squirm in her seat until he sighs and shakes his head. "I guess I'm just scared that things will be different between us, that you'll be different."

"How so?" she asks, tilting her head to the side.

He presses his lips together, the corners turning upwards into a small smile. "I'm afraid you won't laugh at my jokes anymore."

She grins widely and chuckles, shooting him a pointed stare. "Ross, come on. This is me we're talking about."

His smile grows and she swears it gets more spectacular each time she sees it.

"Hey, Laura," he says, raising his eyebrows cockily. "What did the banana give the monkey?"

Her eyes lit at the line and even though she already knew the answer, she couldn't help but chuckle loudly when he replied with, 'A banana."

And that was all it took.

It was as though all of that original tension faded instantly. One corny joke and they were back to being Ross and Laura; just how she liked it.

He tells her about his life on tour; about how he loves the energy of the crowd and seeing the new countries they get to travel to. He tells her about the pranks he pulls on his siblings and how he can't believe this is actually his life.

She tells him about her album and how she was so proud that she got to write all of the songs. She tells him about how incredible it is to perform in sold out arenas, but how she constantly misses her family. She tells him that, finally, everything makes sense.

Two hours later, their cake has been devoured and their plates pushed to the side and forgotten and they're laughing as Laura tells him the latest lame joke her sister had learned the day before.

He throws his head back as his deep, melodic laugh rings out, his eyes crinkling as he squints and wipes away tears. She thinks it's adorable that he looks about five years old and that fluttering in her stomach becomes more rapid.

"I forgot how funny you were," he says, his eyes twinkling in the sunlight.

She rolls her eyes because she knows he's just being nice. There's no doubt she has a sense of humor, but no one had ever called her funny before. "You don't have to say that."

"It's true," he replies, leaning forward and intertwining his fingers on the table top.

She whispers thanks, turning her head to hide the blush creeping to her cheeks.

There's a moment of silence and a quiet hum settles between them before Ross speaks softly.

"Laura?"

She hums in response, turning her attention back to him, admiring the way his skin glows in the afternoon light, but forgetting how to breathe when she sees his dazzling eyes are clouded over.

"How come nothing ever happened between us?"

The question caught her off guard, so her response was to blink at him in confusion. It was a complicated question. She supposed the simplest explanation was that they just never talked about it.

There was no denying that all the signs were there: the lingering touches, the flirtatious smiles, the meaningful glances. Anybody could see they had chemistry, but that didn't mean they'd ever confronted those feelings.

She parts her lips to speak, hoping to provide some sort of deep explanation, but ends up shrugging and stammering, "I don't know."

And then she realizes this is a golden opportunity. After all these years of wondering, she can finally find out the question which had been burning in the back of her mind since she realized their mutual attraction.

"Did you want something to happen?"

It's his turn to be surprised and he gapes at her for a few seconds before pressing his lips together and looking her straight in the eye.

"Yes, I still do."

Although she had considered that response as a possibility, when it was finally out in the open, it seemed almost too good to be true. She stares at him in awe, searching his face for some sign of insincerity, but when she finds none, she allows herself to relax and accept the truth that had finally become clear after all these years.

They were a perfect match.

So she stretches her lips into a smile, admiring the way his features light with joy as she does and whispers, "Me too."

That was it; that was the end of her world as she knew it. All of a sudden, everything seemed to sparkle in beautiful light and she wondered how she could have ever thought the world could be anything but absolutely breathtaking.

After gazing at her in adoration for a few moments, he laughs and changes the topic of conversation. As always, everything is easy between them; the conversation flows naturally and she feels entirely comfortable even when all they do is sit and smile at each other.

Later, he walks her back to her apartment building and she wonders whether she should tell him about Daniel. It struck her strange that neither one of them had brought up their past relationships yet. At the very least, she figures he deserves to know.

But then he takes her hand, intertwining their fingers as they walk as though it's the most natural action in the world and she stares at the space where their bodies connect, admiring the way his large hand engulfs her tiny one, making her feel utterly safe. It's been a while since a man has held her hand in public and a blush tints her cheeks, but as she watches him continue the conversation they were having about their favorite old movies, she decides that perhaps the past is best left just there: in the past.

As they reach the front of her apartment building, the inevitable awkward silence steps in as each of them wonders how to proceed. She takes the lead, standing on her toes to kiss him full on the lips, clutching his t-shirt in her fist to hold herself steady.

He seems surprised at first, but deepens the kiss after a moment, wrapping his arms around her petite frame to pull her close. She finds he taste exactly the same and his arms are just as strong and supportive as before, but something about this kiss is entirely different.

Because all the times they had kissed before had been strictly professional. They were actors, performing scenes in front of live audiences; they didn't have the luxury of actually enjoying the kiss.

But as she sinks into his embrace and smiles against his lips, it's an entirely new experience and she decides that in his arms is her new favorite place to be.

He laughs softly as he pulls away, that beautiful smile lighting his face once more and she can't help but mimic his actions.

"This was nice," she sighs, wishing she could find a more appropriate word.

"This was perfect," he replies, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her lips before stepping towards the curb and signaling for a taxi.

"I'll call you, ok?" he promises as he wraps his arms around her once more, grinning widely. "We'll be in town for a couple more days and I want to take you on a date."

"That sounds wonderful," she says, already tingling in anticipation. She tilts her chin upwards to peck his lips once more, her heart beginning to ache slightly when a taxi pulls up to the curb and he pulls open the door.

He grins widely as he slips into the seat and lifts his hand in a wave. "I'll see you soon."

She nods and holds his smile until he closes the cab door and it pulls away, leaving her alone on the sidewalk before allowing her face to fall. Although their day had been nothing short of fantastic, his parting words left her feeling hollow. She'd received too many empty promises in the past to believe he would really call without specifying a time.

But as she walks through the lobby of her apartment building, her phone buzzes and she feels that fluttering in her stomach when she reads his name on the screen, indicating she has a new text message.

_Hey gorgeous. I had an amazing time today and I can't wait to see you again. Will you do me the honor of coming to our show tomorrow night and we can go to dinner afterwards? I'll call you tomorrow morning with the details. 10:30 am sharp. Until then, sweet dreams. _

She finds herself grinning uncontrollably as she steps into the elevator and pushes the button for her floor. For the first time in months, she thinks perhaps she may have discovered something beautiful.

* * *

Please let me know what you think! I'll probably do a follow up to this because I like the story line. And who knows, it might turn into more than that.

In the mean time, you've probably noticed that I enjoy writing stories based off of themes from songs, so if you have any requests, feel free to let me know! :)


	2. Just A Kiss

She's running late, something that never happens. Generally, she's a big proponent of punctuality, but it seems her nerves have gotten the better of her. After spending an hour sorting through every article of clothing she owns, she finally decides to wear the dress she'd tried on first, causing her to have to dig through the pile of clothes once more to find it, thus making her tardy.

Thankfully, the traffic lights seem to be working in her favor, allowing her to sail through green after green until she arrives at the concert venue. She's told Ross she would meet him backstage before the show, and fortunately it seems she arrives a few minutes before the band is set to take the stage.

Tugging on the skirt of her dress, she hurries into the stadium towards the backstage entrance, but comes skidding to a halt when a large security guard steps into her path.

"No one's allowed backstage," he says sternly, crossing his arms over his chest and staring her down.

"I know," she smiles sheepishly, "But I'm friends with the band and there's someone I need to see."

He shakes his head as her words trail off. "I'm sure you are. But no one's allowed backstage."

She purposely widens her eyes in hopes that her puppy dog pout will work, but when he doesn't budge, she sighs and begins to turn away. Her hope is reignited when she hears her name being called from the hallway behind the guard.

"Laura?"

The guard steps aside to reveal Riker, pulling the strap of his base over his head and allowing it to settle on his shoulders.

"Hey!" she smiles widely. It's been a while since she's seen him, but she hopes he still considers them friends.

He grins and waves, looking at the guard. "It's alright, Owen, you can let her in."

The guard nods and gestures for her to pass and she shoots him a grateful smile as she shuffles to join Riker at the end of the hallway.

She parts her lips to engage him in the customary greetings, but he pulls her into a friendly hug before she can say a word and whispers against her hair.

"He's going to be so glad you're here."

She can't help but feel elated at his words and the knots in her stomach tighten and she feels her heart rate increase as she nears the side stage where she knew he was waiting. He has his back turned when they arrive, making last minute adjustments to his guitar strings, his head bowed in concentration.

"Hey, bro," Riker calls out, "There's someone here to see you."

Ross turned quickly, his hair falling into his eyes, causing him to blink rapidly as a brilliant smile lit his face. Her heart rate doubles at the sight because she's never had that effect on a man before and she blushes slightly when his eyes flood with what looks like relief.

"You came," he says softly, stepping forward until they were inches apart.

"Of course," she smiles lightly, wondering if he was actually unsure as to whether or not she would turn up.

His smile grows and he pulls her into an embrace, kissing her softly on the cheek when he pulls away, which earns some yells and whistles from the rest of the band.

"We should probably get out there," he laughs, keeping his arms around her waist.

She nods, reluctantly stepping out of his embrace, but quelling her urge for physical contact by kissing him quickly on the cheek. "Go be great."

He shoots her a small grin, dropping his eye in a wink before turning and walking out onto the stage with the rest of the band. She takes the opportunity to join the audience. As much as she enjoys the luxury of being backstage, it's been a while since she's seen him perform and she wants to be able to experience the full effect.

As she watches him from the audience, she can't help but think he's exactly where he's supposed to be. Even after all these years, the rush of performing excites him, making his eyes glow and producing a smile so electrifyingly beautiful that it causes her to forget how to breathe altogether. He is so utterly comfortable on stage, so at home, and the passion which lights his eyes so intense that she feels as though she's watching the creation of a miracle.

And then they sing _that _song.

The one she's always suspected had some sort of deeper meaning. The one which causes butterflies in her stomach every time she hears it because she wishes that, for once, her life could be just like a song.

His eyes usually scan the crowd as he sings, smiling at everyone in general, but for this particular song, he stares only at her; his gaze remains locked on hers for the entirety of the song. Her heart races at the sight of his gorgeous eyes as he sings his verse.

_I'm talking about starting out as friends_

_I'm talking about real and not pretend _

_I'm talking about roles of a lifetime_

_You and I can even write the end_

Even after all this time, hearing that song brings her close to tears, even more so now that she realizes that all those nights she spent singing it to herself, wishing he had written about her were not in vain because there's actually a large possibility that it was. His eyes narrow as he comes to the bridge, slightly wet with and flooded with hope as he wills her to understand that he's singing it to her, for her, because of her.

_Let's go home together, play our roles forever_

_Let's grow old together_

_Here comes, here comes, here comes forever baby_

She finds herself unable to wipe the smile from her face as she stares into his eyes and feels as though they're the only two people in the stadium. She's brought back to reality when the song ends and her cheeks flush when he sends her a secret smile before widening his gaze to the entire audience.

The rest of the concert flies by and before she knows it, the band is bowing for the raucous crowd and she's pushing her way towards the backstage entrance once more. This time, the security guard recognizes her and allows her to pass and she finally breathes normally as she steps into the hallway leading to the dressing rooms.

Laughter and excited yells can be heard from the dressing room as she enters to find the band members putting away their various instruments and unwinding from the show. She leans nervously against the doorway, not wanting to interrupt any post-show rituals, but smiles widely when Rydel jumps up from her seat on the couch to pull Laura into a tight hug.

"It's so good to see you, girl," the blonde exclaims, "I'm glad you decided to come."

"Well of course," Laura grins, "I wouldn't have missed it. You guys were incredible."

"Thanks," Rydel smiles, giving the brunette one more tight squeeze before turning to her younger brother. "So where are you guys off to?"

Laura raises her eyebrows in surprise and shrugs as she looks at Ross. They hadn't actually solidified any plans. After she accepted his invitation, he'd texted her the concert details, but they hadn't had a chance to make plans for afterwards.

"Are you hungry?" he says, closing the final latch on his guitar case, "We can go get some food."

She nods in agreement, smiling and waving goodbye to his fellow band mates as he presses a palm into the small of her back and guides her out the door. He shoves his hands in the pockets of the leather jacket he'd thrown on after the show, chewing on his bottom lip nervously as he sneaks a peek at her out of the corner of his eye.

"So where to?" he asks as they walk towards the back door of the venue.

He pauses at the exit, holding up a hand to stop her from pushing open the door and takes a deep breath.

"It might be kind of insane," he warns, "The paparazzi have been extra vicious after shows lately."

In all of the excitement and nervousness, she'd completely forgotten that there would be paparazzi at all and she isn't quite sure she's ready to be photographed like that again. But she trusts him, so she nods and slips her hand in the crook of his elbow, inhaling deeply as he pushes open the door and the cameras begin to flash.

They keep their heads tilted towards the ground and he straightens his arm to keep her pulled close to side, guiding her quickly through the crowd until they reach the open door of an awaiting car, allowing her to slide into the backseat first.

"Hey, Bobby," he greets the driver as the door closes, "Could you just drop us around the corner. We'll walk from there."

"Are you sure?" the driver asks, concerned, "It seems the paparazzi are out in full force tonight."

"Yeah, it's fine," he reassures the driver, "I have ways of avoiding them."

The driver laughs and pulls out into the traffic as Ross turns back to her and grins. "So, food. What are you in the mood for?"

She thinks for moment as her stomach growls, alerting her that she is in fact much hungrier than she originally thought. Her eyes light and she smiles widely as an idea comes to mind.

"Burgers sound good? I know the perfect place."

He nods as the car slows to a stop, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together as he tugs her towards the sidewalk.

"Sounds perfect," he smiles as they begin to walk.

Twenty minutes later, they're sitting opposite each other on the swings at her favorite park, inhaling their burgers.

"You're right," he says through a mouthful of meat, "These are amazing."

"They're my favorite," she agrees, shoving the last bite of her burger into her mouth before crumpling the wrapper in her fist and tossing into a nearby trash can.

"Nice shot," he smiles, impressed by her aim before copying her movements and making the same shot.

"I've been practicing," she says.

"So I see," he laughs, wrapping his fingers around the swing chains.

Her heart races because he's glowing in the moonlight, his hair lifting slightly in the soft, warm breeze and for the first time in what seems like a lifetime, she's reminded of what it feels like to have her breath taken away.

He leans toward her, a soft smile stretching his lips as his eyes glance down towards her mouth, causing her heart rate to spike even more. Just before their lips touch, she pulls back slightly and shoots him an apologetic smile.

"Why now?" she wonders out loud, "Why do you want to be with me after all this time? Why not while we were working together."

"That's exactly why," he says, his smile faltering slightly. "We worked so well together and I didn't want to mess that up by complicating our friendship and work relationship with a romantic one. And then I left for tour almost immediately after we wrapped. I had every intention of tracking you down and declaring my feelings for you, but by that time, you were already seeing Daniel."

"You knew about that?" she blushes and looks away, slightly embarrassed.

"It was hard not to," he laughs, "Your faces were on the cover of every magazine in the country."

"Yeah," she sighs, looking off into the distance for a moment before returning her gaze to him, "Not exactly a fairytale romance."

There's a moment of silence and she breaks his stare because it's causing unusual palpitations in her heart. However, those palpitations return looks up to find him standing directly to her front, holding the chains of her swing. He stares at her for a moment longer before crouching until they were at eye level.

"I'm sorry," he says sincerely.

"For what?" she whispers, partly because she's actually unsure and partly because she's mesmerized by the flecks of silver in his eyes and she can't think of anything else to say.

"I'm sorry that he treated you badly. You don't deserve that. You deserve the closest thing to perfection that you can possibly get, which is another reason I waited this long to tell you how I felt."

"What do you mean?" she asks, furrowing her brow in confusion as her breathing becomes shallow as a result of their proximity.

He sighs, letting go of one chain long enough to run a hand through his hair. "I guess I didn't think I was good enough for you. I thought I needed to prove myself to you before I had the right to say how I felt."

She smiles and shakes her head, a light blush tinting her cheeks. "But Ross, I already thought you were perfect."

He blinks once, staring at her blankly before his eyes flood with adoration. Before she has time to react, his lips are pressed to hers and he's pulling her into a standing position, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist to hold her close.

She's breathless and dizzy when they pull apart and grins as she combs a stray hair over his ear. "So now what?"

His eyes sparkle and he leans down to kiss her softly, resting his forehead against hers when they part. "I want to take this slow."

"I agree," she whispers, her lips brushing his lightly. "I want to see where this can go and I want it to last, so let's not rush things."

He nods, kissing her once more before pulling back and smiling widely. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to be able to kiss you whenever I want."

"Actually," she laughs, "I think I do."

"What are we going to do, though?" she asks after a moment of silence. "You're leaving tomorrow and we live on opposite coasts. We're never going to see each other."

"We'll figure it out," he reassures her, moving his hands to rub gently up and down her arms. "I have an apartment in the city and now I have a reason to visit it. We'll fly back and forth when we have time and talk constantly. We'll make it work."

She nods but bites her lip because the distance isn't why she's worried. No, what concerns her is the fact that even if he is in a relationship, he's still going to have thousands of girls screaming his name and throwing themselves at him on a daily basis. And even though she trusts him, it's still hard to cope with because deep down, she's afraid one day something better will come along and he'll leave her behind.

He seems to understand her hesitation and squeezes her arms lightly, staring her straight in the eyes. "You have nothing to worry about, alright? Do you want to know why I haven't been in a serious relationship since we left the show?"

She blinks because the question takes her by surprise, but she realizes she is curious. He'd been linked to some of the most beautiful women in the world, but he still seemed to be a perpetual bachelor: never settling down or getting involved in anything serious. So she nods and holds her breath for the response.

"It's because," he says, his smile growing as he speaks, "No matter who I was with, I always wished it was you. No one else ever seemed good enough."

She grins in reply, standing on her toes to press a kiss to his upturned lips.

"So we're ok?" he asks as he pulls away.

She nods and leans towards his lips once more. "We're perfect."

His laugh vibrates against her lips as they kiss and as she melts into his embrace, for the first time in ages, she feels as though everything is going to be alright.


End file.
